Events Coming Soon

New Date: Thursday, March 22 at 6:30 PMEast End Community School

Julie Larry, Directory of Advocacy, will give a brief presentation on Landmarks recent research and architectural survey. The presentation will include information on the Hill’s buildings and the stories of some of the people that have called Munjoy Hill home over the last century and a half. Landmarks will also present information on the potential for historic designation of buildings on Munjoy Hill and how designation might be part of a solution to address neighborhood concerns that led to the current moratorium.

Every home has a story if you know how to uncover it. With this program you will learn how to research the history of an historic home and share its story. During the classroom portion of the class you will learn to identify architectural styles and to understand the historical background of residential buildings in Portland.

Mark your calendars now, you won’t want to miss this!

Join in a stimulating conversation with Max Page, professor of architecture and history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the author of Why Preservation Matters for a timely discussion of the changing face of historic preservation. Page argues that preservation is no longer just about old buildings instead, the movement must transform itself to stand against gentrification, work more closely with the environmental sustainability movement, and challenge societies to confront their pasts. Click on this event to learn more and buy tickets...

Be a part of the fun, be a part of the history. Celebrate historic preservation with Landmarks at our annual Gala held for the first time at a Places in Peril site, the Peaks Island Amusement District, which was a center for summer fun and recreation. Join us in "rusticator style" for a boat ride, a raw bar, a lobster dinner, live music for listening and dancing, and live and silent auction.

On the Blog

From the mid 19th century onward the neighborhood on Lafayette and Merrill Streets was home to a number of Portland’s black residents, many of whom worked on Portland’s waterfront or in nearby businesses. While some black residents were native to Maine, many were from Canada, particularly from Nova Scotia. Others came to Portland from Guadaloupe, Jamaica, Cape Verde, West Indies, Portugal, and other states like North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Wisconsin, and Georgia. The men worked as seaman, waiters, janitors, stewards, cooks, clerks, hotel porters, house painters, and laborers. While many women stayed home, others worked as laundresses, seamstresses, housekeepers, and elevator operators.

rofessor Page teaches and writes about the history of cities and architecture. His lecture will draw on his most recent book Why Preservation Matters (Yale University press, 2016), a thought-provoking assessment of the preservation movement that offers a progressive vision for the future of preservation. Anyone interested in how to honor our past while working toward an equitable and sustainable future for our community will gain insight from Professor page’s ideas.

We have done another round up of some of the most exciting events having to do with historic preservation, history, and historic sites. From Mid-Century Modern to Neighborhood Celebrations to Spooky Spirits you will find the perfect event for you!

Concerned that a number of historic properties in the Portland area are in danger of being irreparably altered or destroyed, we announced our 4th list of Places in Peril, to call attention to the threats facing character-defining, historically-significant properties in greater Portland. This year, Landmarks has identified seven buildings or areas that are at critical points where they could be permanently lost or diminished.

As they were rolling up their sleeves to start interior renovations of their future restaurant, Woodford Food & Beverage, Birch Shambaugh asked Fayth Preyer what she hoped to discover once they started peeling away decades of office use in the building at 660 Forest Avenue in Portland. She let herself dream, “what if there were terrazzo floors?!”

Looking for new ways to explore the Portland Area? Need something fresh and different to do with your out-of-town guests? Want to take advantage of these long summer nights? Here is a list of 10 great events this August that celebrate historic preservation and history of the Greater Portland region. Hope to see you there!

Today the midcentury modern look is all around us. As the architecture of the modernist movement has come of age, its historical significance is now eligible to receive all the benefits of historic designation. Its unique situation at the crux of modern homebuilding innovation in the 20th century will be remembered as the forbearer of the open-plan ideal of the 21st.

Did you know that May is National Preservation month? We are excited there is a whole month to celebrate what we do every day! In historic cities like ours it can be easy to take our charming historic downtown for granted. Why would anyone want to destroy it? But, before there were citizen groups like Greater Portland Landmarks, buildings were unappreciated, abandoned, and torn down. This was happening in Portland, throughout Maine, and allover the country. Now, not only does our organization exist, but there are city ordinances, historic districts, state and national historic tax credits, and national organizations. However, nothing is safe. As Portland grows new areas are threatened, and with every new federal tax plan, historic tax credits become vulnerable. A month devoted to Historic Preservation reminds us how far we've come, where we are going, and how much is left to be done.

Below are some links, resources, and tools to get you excited about Historic Preservation. Join us!

When Davis took over he immediately wanted to make the building more inviting and prominent to the community. With little money in the budget he did what he could. In 2007-8 he asked the DPW to rip out the giant over grown rhododendrons that blocked the sunlight from pouring in the front glass wall. This also let the light from the library pour out over the little hill that was built around it, making it so distinguishable from a distance. This simple collaboration of city resources highlighted the architecture of the building and made it easier to make the case for more restoration of the library. “Numbers increased drastically” Davis said, “the increased visibility of the building alone, brought more people into it. Period.” Soon after the city started chipping away at other projects. Next the building’s distinctive concrete was preserved.